CITIZENS NEWS

Experts explain how Israel’s war on Gaza fits legal definition of genocide

By isabelle // 2025-05-19

• Leading genocide scholars unanimously declare Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal criteria for genocide, citing mass killings, forced starvation, and aid denial.
• Israel’s total blockade has caused catastrophic famine, with 57 children dead from malnutrition and 500,000 Palestinians facing starvation by September.
• A leaked Israeli plan, "Gideon’s Chariots," outlines forced displacement and destruction, described as ethnic cleansing by Human Rights Watch.
• The ICJ ordered Israel to halt genocidal acts, but Netanyahu ignored the ruling, while Western nations continue arming Israel despite overwhelming evidence.
• UN officials warn history will judge global inaction as Gaza’s death toll surpasses 53,000, including 15,000 children, with calls for urgent intervention.

The world’s foremost genocide researchers have reached a damning consensus: Israel’s military campaign in Gaza meets the legal criteria for genocide. A Dutch investigation by NRC interviewed seven renowned scholars from six countries, including Israel, all of whom concluded that the systematic destruction of Palestinian life in Gaza through mass killings, forced starvation, and the deliberate denial of aid constitutes genocidal violence. "Can I name someone whose work I respect who does not think it is genocide? No, there is no counterargument that takes into account all the evidence," said Israeli scholar Raz Segal. Professor Ugur Ümit Üngör of the University of Amsterdam added, "I don’t know" any credible genocide experts who dispute the classification. The findings align with reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who have accused Israel of committing genocide or "genocidal acts."

Starvation as a weapon

Since March 2024, Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza, banning food, water, and medical supplies. The World Health Organization reports that 57 children have died of malnutrition, while the UN warns 500,000 Palestinians face "catastrophic" famine by September. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) states that 71,000 children under five will suffer acute malnutrition if the siege continues. Yet Israeli officials openly celebrate the blockade. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir declared, "As long as our hostages are dying in tunnels, there is no reason to allow even a gram of food." Defense Minister Israel Katz affirmed: "No humanitarian aid will enter Gaza."

Systematic destruction and ethnic cleansing

Israel’s military has reduced Gaza to rubble, displacing 85% of its population. Hospitals, schools, and water infrastructure lie in ruins. A leaked Israeli plan, "Gideon’s Chariots," proposes forcibly relocating Palestinians into confined zones while demolishing remaining structures in a blueprint Human Rights Watch calls "ethnic cleansing" and "extermination." Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed Gaza would be "completely destroyed," with Palestinians expelled to "third countries." The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to halt genocidal acts, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the ruling. Scholars note that genocide, under international law, does not require total annihilation but "partial destruction" of a group, as exemplified by the 8,000 Bosniak men killed in Srebrenica being legally recognized as genocide.

Global complicity and failed diplomacy

Western governments, particularly the U.S. and EU, continue arming Israel despite overwhelming evidence of atrocities. The U.S. backs a controversial aid plan that UN relief chief Tom Fletcher condemns as "dehumanizing," forcing Palestinians into what are being described as holding pens for meager rations. UN officials warn that history will judge nations enabling this slaughter. Fletcher challenged the Security Council: "So, for those killed and those whose voices are silenced: what more evidence do you need now? Will you act – decisively – to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead that 'we did all we could?'" With more than 53,000 Palestinians dead, including 15,000 children, the world’s inaction echoes failures in Rwanda and Bosnia. The evidence is irrefutable: Israel’s siege of Gaza is genocide in progress. From mass starvation to systematic displacement, the atrocities meet legal definitions upheld by courts and scholars. As Palestinians perish, global powers must choose between complicity and justice. The time for empty statements is over. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net APNews.com AlJazeera.com UNOCHA.org HRW.org

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